Chapter XIII: On the Mexican Side

Alex's fish breakfast was a culinary success, but over it hung the shadow of that threat. But was it a threat?

The boys discussed it from every possible angle only to come back to the original question:

Was it a threat or a promise?

"Well, he'll have a fine time catching the _Rambler_," said Case. "He's got to go some if he does. And he'll need an aeroplane in order to do it."

"He may have an aeroplane secreted in his pocket," Jule said.

However, two days passed and they heard nothing of either the river thieves or the stranger. When El Paso was reached Buck and Rube prepared for departure.

"You boys started out with accommodations for four," said Buck, "and you've kept collecting about every person you came across until you've doubled the crew."

"I can't see what we should have done without you three men," Case answered. "In the first place, we never could have got through without Rube's roll! He was perfectly willing that it should be used, and we accommodated him."

"Then what should we have done without Thede? There's a man that knows how to set a leg or bind up an artery! We certainly couldn't have left him out. I think, when you come to size the whole thing up, we carried just enough people to do what had to be done. How does that strike you, Alex?"

"Right you are," answered the boy addressed. "We haven't been a bit crowded, and we've had plenty to eat. I wish Rube and Buck were going on with us."

"I'd eat you out of house and home," laughed Rube. "I presume you boys noticed that I have quite an appetite."

"Just about the size of mine!" said Alex.

El Paso was the scene of great activity a year ago, when the Rio Grande was the dividing line between the United States and Mexico. Streets were crowded with men in uniform, and restaurants and saloons contributed their full quota to the general confusion.

The city, however, was quieter now, and the boys had no difficulty in finding their way about. Troops still guarded the Mexican line, but they were inconspicuous.

Clay had, in a measure, recovered, though he was still weak. He was able to sit on deck and watch the moving panorama which is to be seen in all frontier cities.

The first trip taken by Case and Alex was to the bank, where they found the money waiting for them. As the telegram had instructed the cashier to pay the money over "without identification, at the risk of the remitter," the boys had no difficulty whatever in securing it. They paid Rube in full, and insisted on his taking an extra $20, for being "a good fellow in the time of trouble."

The _Esmeralda's_ prow had been repaired on the way down, and she was now in perfect condition. The boys saw her disappear around a bend in the river with sincere regret.

They had been friends in need, and "a friend in need is a friend indeed," as the old saying runs. But they had not seen the last of either one of them.

Thede, the surgeon, decided, at the earnest solicitation of the boys, to remain on board the motor boat. Clay was still in a feeble condition, and Paul's broken leg needed constant care, so it was decided that the doctor should remain on board.

Captain Joe, the parrot, and even Teddy Junior, the bear cub, seemed to extend a welcoming paw and claw to the doctor and Paul. Provisions for the remainder of the trip were laid in at El Paso, and on the second day the _Rambler_, as trim a boat as ever plowed the waters of the Rio Grande, lifted her anchor and sailed away.

Those were glorious days for the _Rambler_ crew. The time was late in May, and at that season Nature is at her best in the South.

The boys fished and loafed about the deck of the motor boat until Clay was almost well again, and Paul insisted on being taken to the deck to watch the life on the river.

They heard no more of the river thieves, and everything moved along as placidly as if they had never interfered with the current of their lives. But this was only for a time.

One brilliant night when the _Rambler_ was given just sufficient motion to give steerage way, when Alex and Jule were on watch, the former asked, abruptly:

"Was it a threat or a promise?"

"I've been thinking the matter over," was the answer, "and I find there is not a thing the river robbers had to give or offer. So we may as well cut out the promise part. On the other hand, we know pretty well what the devils would do to us if we again came into their power.

"Therefore," he continued, "we don't welcome a meeting. Still, if it comes, I don't think we'll dodge. That wouldn't be good form, would it now?"

"No," replied Alex, "I don't think it would. But we ought to do everything in our power to avoid a collision with them. Some day, if we don't watch out, we'll get the worst of it. We can't expect to win out in every encounter."

"Right you are!" declared Jule.

"I wonder how those Greasers, over there, live?" asked Alex. "Dirty and greasy as ever, I presume?"

"You bet!" answered Jule.

"Some day when we are not on watch, and the boat is lying at anchor. I'll stump you to go and see," continued Alex. "Some of the sights in a Mexican town must be worth seeing."

"You're on!" answered Jule.

"I have the meaning of that French writing," decided Alex, after a long pause. "It is this: 'Wait until I catch you!' How's that for a free translation?"

"It's free enough," laughed Jule. "Only I don't see how we can wait, as the river insists on bearing us along on its noble and rather muddy bosom."

"I've got a hunch," said Alex soberly, "that the next time we run afoul of the river thieves it won't be so easy to get away. In other words, I've got a premonition of approaching danger."

"Nonsense!" Jule exclaimed. "You've got a case of indigestion, if anybody should ask you! I thought at the time that you were making rather free with that potato salad."

"Oh, all right! Make fun of the hunch if you want to, but it is a really, truly, warranted-not-to-shrink-or-fade-in-the-washing hunch. Just you mark that down and keep for future reference."

Captain Joe now came out to Alex and stood rubbing his nose against the boy's hand.

"Look here!" the dog appeared to be trying to say, "if you've got anything important coming off, produce it. I have a few hours which are hanging rather heavily on my hands."

"Want to go to shore, Captain Joe?" Alex asked.

The dog said that he did as plainly as ever a dog said anything and Alex got to his feet with a yawn.

He whistled about the deck for a time with hands in pockets, as if about to say something which he was positive would not meet with the sanction of his chum. At last, however, he found words for it.

"I suppose I'll have to go and give the dog a run on the bank. That seems to be about the only way I can keep him quiet."

"No, you don't!" laughed Jule. "If you get ashore that will be the last of you until someone comes and looks you up. The last time you got away----"

Alex, followed by the dog, sprang to the rail and leaped into the river. Pausing only long enough to turn a laughing face toward his chum, very much wrinkled as to nose, the boy, closely followed by the dog, struck out for the Mexican shore.

"I've a good mind to jump in after you!" Jule called out. "You have all the fun!"

"Come on in!" Alex called back. "The water's fine! I'll just give Captain Joe a run on shore and come right back."

Jule hesitated only an instant. What boy can resist a night in May, when the moon shines, and the waves make music on the beach? It is a shame to tempt a boy with a stream of water which ripples and murmurs on such a night.

Jule was tempted--and fell.

The Rio Grande is quite wide at the point where the boys entered the water, and the _Rambler_ was about in the center of the stream, making the swim a long one. The lads, however, struck out bravely and soon landed on a swampy tongue of land which formed a peninsula at that point.

"Say, but this is great!" cried Alex. "I wish Case was here to enjoy it with us."

Captain Joe seemed to think his frolic in the moonlight about the correct thing. He dived under the surface and pretended to catch the boys by their legs; he brought chips and driftwood from the stream and invited the boys to play tag with him.

At last he lay down on a bit of grass, signifying that his play spell was over, and that he would like to return to the boat.

But there was no boat in sight.

Then, and not until then, did the boys recollect that the boat was in motion--under steerway motion, it is true, but even steerway motion will sometimes carry a boat a long way, especially when the boys who should be guarding it are giving their attention to something else.

"The boys will wake up and come back after us," said Jule.

"Of course they will," agreed Alex.

Alex and Jule waited a long time, but there were no signs of the boat coming back after them.

"If we remain right where we landed," Jule finally said, "they will be certain to find us."

"That would be all right if they knew where we landed, but they don't. The thing for them to do is to look along the shore until they see us. What a fool trick that was, leaving the boat unguarded. Unless someone on board wakes up, they may sail half the forenoon. I feel like giving myself a swift kick."

"I reckon you don't feel that way more than I do," replied Jule. "I suppose the boys will think we have deserted them."

"Or that we have been lured from the boat and murdered," added Alex. "What's the matter with you now, Captain Joe? What have you found in the bushes?"

The thing which showed in the bushes where the dog was looking was the pointed hat of a Mexican.

"Look there!" Alex said, not in the least alarmed, but with the notion that in some way the man could assist.

The next moment a gun was leveled at the two boys and a voice said in excellent English:

"Throw up your hands!"

As the boys were without weapons, the command was instantly obeyed. Then four rough-looking men came out of the thicket in single file and stood in front of the astonished boys.

"What is the meaning of this?" Alex demanded. "Is it a hold-up? If it is, we haven't got a cent."

Daylight was coming now and the moon was sinking in the West. The faces of the four men were in the shadow, but still it was plain to be seen that they were not out for a morning stroll.

The man who appeared to be the leader of the party gave a significant motion and instantly both boys were turned bottom side up while their pockets were being examined.